Although more than a half-century has passed since John F. Kennedy was assassinated on the streets of Dallas, the legacy of JFK lives on.

In celebration of the centennial of his birth, the late president - and his family - will take center stage at the D'Amour Museum of Fine Arts in Springfield beginning Dec. 8. Working with the Smithsonian Institution, the museum will offer the multimedia exhibit "Jack and Jackie: The Kennedys in the White House" through March 2018.

According to Heather Haskell, Vice President and Director of Art Museums, the upcoming exhibit features historically significant photography with an immersive and educational display celebrates history on a national - and local - scale.

"At the Michele and Donald D'Amour Museum of Fine Arts, we have the exhibition 'Jack and Jackie,' featuring 27 very large scale black and white photographs taken by Richard Avedon, who is one of the most important photographers of the 20th century. These photos were taken about 3 weeks before Kennedy was inaugurated," said Haskell.

Haskell said that while Avedon was the only photographer allowed to take photos of the first family between Kennedy's 1960 election and inauguration day on January 20, 1961, the photos themselves - on loan from the Smithsonian National Museum of American History in Washington D.C. - offer a rare glimpse into the family's personal lives by way of an unlikely source.

"These photos were commissioned by Harper's Bazaar, the women's fashion magazine. Nobody is quite sure how contact was made with the Kennedy family, but the editor at the bazaar was interested in Jackie Kennedy and her fashion sense," said Haskell. "These photos are striking because Avedon photographed them against a blank, white piece of paper. You don't have any distractions in the background. So they become very powerful black and white images that are pretty masterful in describing the personality of the Kennedy family. You get a very intimate sense of them."

Not unlike other displays at the museum that dive far below the surface, Haskell said the exhibit doesn't stop there, offering up plenty of information for photography enthusiasts.

"I think what makes the show even more interesting is that you have the finished photographs published in Harpers Bazaar, and also the contact sheet, enlarged as part of the show; we talk about how Avedon takes the photographs and manipulates them a bit to create the final version. We talk about the artistic process behind it. We're having a lot of fun pointing those changes out," she said.

Haskell said that the museum will also feature supplementary exhibits ranging from a full-fledged recreation of Kennedy's Oval Office to a companion display in the Lyman and Merrie Wood Museum of Springfield History, "Collecting Camelot," featuring time capsule-quality items from the Kennedy era.

"Also at the Museum of Fine Arts, we have a replica of the Resolute desk. We're actually working with a film company called Reelz that did a miniseries on the Kennedy's, they've very generously lent us costumes and props which we're showing along with authentic pieces of the Kennedy administration," said Haskell. "The third part of the show is a very extensive timeline of both John and Jackie's celebration and encouragement of the arts. We talk about how they really promoted and supported visual arts, music, and how they brought that into the White House with programs such as the National Endowment of Arts."

In addition, Haskell said the immersive exhibit's companion piece, "Collecting Camelot," will offer visitors to the Lyman and Merrie Wood Museum of Springfield History the opportunity to see unconventional ways the Kennedy family's legacy has persevered through history.

"We'll be featuring a selection of vintage items from the Kennedy period as well as modern objects that highlight the continuing legacy of John and Jackie today. I think people will recognize a lot of things when they go into the show," said Haskell. "People will see things that display how the Kennedy's have lived on with different objects. We also feature a lot of campaign memorabilia, such as buttons and coasters."

Similar to other exhibits, Haskell said the Springfield Museums took great care to also recognize and celebrate local history, reaching out to the community to augment the exhibits with a local touch.

"John F. Kennedy had strong ties to Western Massachusetts. There are still a lot of people in the community who worked with the his campaign who have been generous enough to share some of their keepsakes. We really want our exhibitions to resonate with the local community; we try to always make sure our displays have pertinent meaning for our visitors," said Haskell.

Smithsonian Week in Springfield will take place Dec. 7 - 14 to celebrate the centennial of John F. Kennedy's birth. Jack and Jackie: The Kennedys in the White House will be on display from Dec. 8, 2017 - March 25, 2018 at the D'Amour Museum of Fine Arts. For more information, visit https://springfieldmuseums.org/exhibitions/jack-jackie-kennedys-white-house/.